Tomes
by ChubbyBunny
Summary: Hermione Granger has opened a muggle bookshop on the outskirts of Hogsmead. On a snowy evening much like any other, a dark, tall figure appears and things are never quite the same. Rated M
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: Hello all! This little gem came to me the other night and I just had to get it out. I hope you enjoy it!

~C.B.~

***Tomes***

Some call me crazy. Others just call me Hermione.

Why crazy? What other witch do you know that would open a muggle bookshop on the outskirts of Hogsmead? None thank you very much. Don't get me wrong, I do also carry the normal school books required of the little dumplings who trudge their way into Hogwarts every year in September and some other spell books and bric-a-brac. Being an individual of the mudblood persuasion, I felt it was necessary that the wizarding world get an education in muggle affairs, and books seemed like the best way to do it.

Surprisingly enough, traffic through my humble little shop has been fair. Some shelves are gathering dust now that winter is coming, and most would find a hot cider or mead in their bellies far more enticing than squatting in the red, plush arm chair with a slightly used copy of the Canterbury Tales. I can't hold it against them though. The light from the Three Broomsticks always shines bright through the dimpled old windows facing the street, and it warms my heart to see the future wizards and witches of our world laughing over mugs of Butterbeer while playing in the snow. It reminds me of times, both good and bad.

But, wait you say, Hermione, aren't you a third of the infamous Golden Trio? But, lo! Where is your fortune? Where is Ronald Weasley? Don't you have twelve fire-headed children wiping their runny noses on your arm sleeves and have one on the way?

Well, no.

Don't misunderstand, I wouldn't mind having one or two pudgy bookworms all my own. And Ron is a good man true enough. He has a bad case of the wandering hands however, and that never settled right with me. He promised to stop, and while I believed him and knew he would, I could never ask him to settle when he wasn't prepared. We left one another with an all too familiar handshake and promises to owl each other to say hello. I kept my end of the bargain, but Ron's new female friend put a stop to it with a shrill octave, wail hex that occurred every time I received my owl in return. It hurt for a while, but time heals and moves the pieces of you that were broken off.

And Harry you ask? He is happily married with Ginny, and has his own gaggle of children who affectionately call me "Auntie Miney." I love them and their parents quite dearly. They visit as often as they can, but the journalists from the Daily Prophet still hound Harry as much as they did when he was a boy. Harry's grown into a fine man both in spirits and looks, and when he smiles I can still picture the young wizard who danced with me in the dusky light of a dirty tent in the middle of the woods and in the middle of a war. I suppose I loved him in a different way that night, and no, we did not lose our virginities to one another (although I would be a liar to say it didn't cross our minds). We kissed, and it was wonderful. Some nights when I'm feeling particularly nostalgic I can still taste his mouth, and smell the scent that is uniquely him. Harry and I would never dare mention the one time slip to Ginny or Ron, although I'm sure Ginny would understand to a certain degree (Ron would never but that is a moot point). It was a soft kiss, and warm. A secret promise between friends. We had curled together in our blankets after that and simply held one another. Nothing more, nothing less.

And my fortune? It is true that many survivors of the war were given stipends for our suffering and losses. A fair portion of my friends spent theirs quite quickly on frivolous things, while I saved most of mine in Gringotts and invested some in my shop. I live upstairs in a cozy loft area, so the only person I owe money to is me and I am surrounded by the things I love most which are my books. It is not so much a lonely existence as it is a quiet one. But sometimes when I close the shop for the night, I feel it; the small spark deep within my belly that burns for the time when I was a frizzy headed war child racing through the woods like fire, a raven haired boy to my left, and a copper haired boy to my right keeping pace as the dead leaves blew around our feet in a whirlwind. Always running ; frightened and exhilarated at the same time.

I'd be selfish to complain about my life now though. My existence in pleasant enough, I never have to worry about finances. I have all of the books I can lay my hands on (mostly). There are some however who don't exactly like my "mudblood propaganda." Every once in a while I get a nasty letter from a pureblood prick saying to shape up or ship out. Not in those nice of terms of course. My shop has been vandalized several times but some well-placed boil charms fixed that issue quite quickly. I'm not particularly worried about my safety, I'm a big girl and pull up my big girl knickers when need be.

Why I'm writing this all down however, is because I never want to forget the night when _he_ walked back into my life and how a muggle book shop saved both of us. Who? Well dear reader, stay with me, and let me take you back to that snowy evening proceeding on into the next year in a little bookshop called Tomes on the outskirts of Hogsmead, where he and I both began to believe in magic again.

Hermione J. Granger


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: Thank you all so much for the support of this story. It means a lot. As always, reviews are appreciated. On to chapter two. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

'Hogsmead is full tonight,' I noted as I placed Tarzan of the Apes back onto the shelf. It had been a particularly busy evening as Hogwarts had just been let out on their winter break and many students had come through my doors to get out of the snow. Often, if there were enough children who were interested, I would read aloud from a book (usually muggle in nature) until the Three Broomsticks began to welcome in the evening crowd. Tarzan of the Apes had been the one I'd chosen, and the new generation of magical folks had more questions than I had actually been able to read,

"Miss Granger was he naked the ENTIRE time?" asked Astrid Bloom, a third year.

"Why didn't he just apparate to land?" asked James Jones, a first year.

"Where's Harry Potter?" wailed a first year that I hadn't seen before, "I heard he would be here!"

"I'm bored!"

"I'm hungry!"

"How old are you?"

"And we're finished for the evening!" I had announced with a slap of book covers, "Thank you all for coming, don't forget to grab your cloaks on the way out! Have a wonderful holiday!"

The children had all risen and grabbed their respected articles of clothing. Astrid turned to me before departing, her brown eyes speculative. She was not a particularly attractive girl; slightly heavy set, terrible overbite and long stringy red hair that frizzed out on the ends like a horses tail. However she was at my shop whenever she could manage it so I tolerated her as one tolerates a cat who sits on your morning newspaper.

"Miss Granger?" she asked, shoving the unknown first year out of her path.

I sighed then, plastered a smile and looked down at her, "Yes Astrid?"

"Will you be alone for Christmas?" she asked, wiping her nose on her cloak sleeve, "Y'know, on account you has no parents and you're single and all."

My first instinct was to hex her, a shape shifting hex in particular. I was sure she would have made a fine fruit bat. Yes, she looked like a fruit bat. However I managed to keep the smile, pat her on the head and shoo her out the door with the assurance I would be fine, thank you very much.

It really isn't that I don't like children. What is difficult is when everyone thinks they know you on the basis of stories. Stories are funny things after all; always changing and evolving depending on the one who tells it. In the ten years since leaving Hogwarts, one of the stories I've heard has morphed into myself being the bust-heaving damsel vying for the affections of Harry the-wonder-do-good-boy Potter and Ron the-not as popular-still attractive sidekick-of-good-boy-Potter; how my unwillingness to choose between them almost cost us the war and I selfishly wiped my parents memories because they did not approve of my lifestyle.

Another version of the story is that I was working for Voldermort the whole time. The end pretty much. Oh, and I killed Dumbledore because he did not change a grade I disapproved of.

As one can clearly see, none of these are true. But they are stories I've heard the children whisper from time to time. They also speak about Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, all of us. Despite what has become written history, others take and mold it into something all their own. I used to not believe in changing stories, that what was done was done and it is something we must adapt to and learn from. It's one of the reasons I'm still called a "frigid bitch" by familiar faces from my past. The title however does not bother me anymore. I'm far from heartless, and I cry sometimes but not as often as I used to. I do it in secret and locked upstairs in my loft surrounded by the smell of books, as unchanging as me.

The bell above my door jangled and I realized I was still standing at the same shelf where I'd placed Tarzan minutes before. Startled, I cried out "Hullo! Welcome to Tomes, how may I-"and stepping out from behind the shelf I froze. Standing there was a tall man draped in a black wool cloak with hood obscuring his face. It had been ingrained in me from school times to always be wary of those who hid their faces. That old terror bubbled up my spine, but a familiar smell brought me back to my senses. It was a memory almost, one I wasn't sure if I had made up or not. It was smoky, herby, and masculine. Something I hadn't encountered in almost ten years…

The man seemed not as surprised as me. Reaching up with a dragon hide gloved hand he pushed the hood away from his face and sneered, "Miss Granger."

Unexpectedly, I felt my eyes begin to water but not out of sadness. This man's story was not supposed to have had a happy ending. I had seen him bleeding out on a rotten, dirty wood floor in a shack. He had been both traitor and savior, an Arthur and a Judas. I'd been there when he took his last breath, and even though his body was never found Harry, Ron and I confirmed his death. History is not supposed to be rewritten and although I had heard rumors that he had survived I never believed them. There were whispers of him in Romania, France and even America. This man had been my tormentor and the object of so much hate as a child, and now only a fond memory in my adult years. My world shifted in a way that evening I'd never felt before, and I was sure things were never going to be the same.

Severus Snape still stood glaring at me, and if it wasn't for the flush that only a winter chill can bring I would swear he was a ghost. His hair was longer, still black as oil but with small streaks of grey at his temples. It fell past his shoulders now and hung loose and wild. Black eyes glittered under black brows set against fair skin. His nose was still large, but far less bird-like than I remember. One word came to mind when looking at him, and it was _dangerous._

"Well?" he snapped, "Are you just going to stand there like a fool?"

And I promptly burst into tears of relief. He was real. Alive. My soft sobs turned into a hiccuping wail that earned an eyebrow raise and a shift of footing from him. Like an idiot I stood in the middle of my shop with my supposedly dead ex potions professor and headmaster watching on as large tears rolled down my face and splashed onto the floor.

"Stop that," he commanded, but that only set me off more. His voice was just as I remembered, deep and forceful although far less intimidating. It resonated inside me like a coming home party; glory, glory alleluia. Although I'd never been religious by nature I thanked whatever being may reside in the great universe for bringing this cantankerous crow back into my life and back from the dead.

A loud grunt came from him and he came to stand in front of me, large hand beginning to reach for my trembling shoulder. I rushed into his chest, taking fistfuls of that damned overly-buttoned wool coat and burying my head against him, hanging on for the sake of my own sanity. I suppose I had stunned him because he stood still as a statue as if he was afraid to move, that he may scare me away or hurt me unintentionally. In retrospect I think it was because he was not used to being that close to another living human, magical or otherwise.

Through the tears and wool I managed a husky, "I've missed you." against him. I heard a pounding against my ear, and realized it was his heartbeat. In response, his chin came to rest upon the top of my head.

Neither of us said anything for a while.


	3. Chapter 3

Authors Note: Onto chapter three! Thank you again for your support, and reviews are always appreciated.

He sat across from me at my ancient wooden dining table, both now ungloved hands wrapped around a hot mug of tea. He hadn't looked at me since we entered my upstairs apartment. I could feel him already distancing himself and knew he would be leaving soon. Anxious to keep this familiar presence near to me as long as I could, I had offered to make him dinner. He'd begrudgingly accepted.

I had busied myself around the tiny kitchen making idle chit chat as he stood awkwardly in the doorway. Eventually he'd sat down and even offered a few words of what he'd been up to; gathering ingredients for new potions he'd been creating, investigating death eater activity around the world, and not surprisingly, reading. That he'd said so much surprised me, and he'd eaten like he hadn't seen food in months. After the plates were cleared tea was made and when we had begun to sit in silence I knew I had to ask the question I'd been dreading. Men like Severus Snape don't show up unannounced on your doorstep for no reason.

"Professor, why are you here?"

He hadn't answered right away, looking instead into his mug. I knew him well enough though to realize he was weighing his options, debating on how much he could tell me. This made me angry for some reason and I found myself up and shoving the chair back into place at the table, "Never mind, I should have known better,"

"A book."

His voice was quiet, but those black eyes that were looking up at me spoke loud and clear, '_Wait…listen…wait for me…'_

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms while leaning against my kitchen counter, "Well, I have plenty of those. What book are you looking for? Is it by a muggle?"

"Yes," Severus turned his body so he could face me, "It's older, I'm not sure of the name but it has something to do with a case I'm working on. Something about a garden."

I chuckled, "Well, that doesn't give me a lot to go from."

His gaze suddenly turned corrosive, "I thought you were supposed to be the book expert."

"I am," I sniffed, "But simply telling me it's about shrubbery isn't going to get you anywhere."

"Impudent little shrew," he hissed standing suddenly and hands gripping the table, "I need your assistance, not your sassy mouth. I came to you because I need you help of all things. If you insist on insulting me I will take my self elsewhere and find someone who is willing to lend me their assistance." Surprisingly, I laughed. It not only confused me, but Snape as well. He eyed me suspiciously as I wiped a few lone tears that had escaped away.

"Have you lost it?" he asked and his face was so wary I laughed again.

Shaking my head I continued giggling, "No, no…you just have no idea how much I missed you, your voice I mean." I'd realized my slip up the moment I said it but if Severus noticed he didn't make it obvious, "I'm sorry, it's been a rather emotional day. Of course I will help you. I'll have to look through my inventory and sleep on it tonight. Where are you staying?"

"It's inconsequential," he muttered, pulling his gloves back on, "I will check back."

"Tomorrow?" I asked and realized with a start how desperate I sounded.

This time, he did notice. Severus caught my glance and held it for a second too long; his gaze seeming to pry me open from the inside out. I hadn't realized until that moment that his eyes weren't a true black, but a molasses: deep, rich and sticky. After what seemed like an eternity I managed to break the connection and go to the sink under the pretense of rinsing my tea mug, but he'd walked up slowly from behind and gripped my wrist. It wasn't an overly tight hold, but one that was meant to get my attention.

"Miss Granger," he murmured, and it was so gentle it made my heart ache.

Quickly composing myself, I glanced over my shoulder at him, "Yes Professor?" I realized with some chagrin that I was suddenly breathing very deep and it sounded loud in my ears.

He was looking at me that way again, searchingly and almost puzzled, "Are you alright?"

Taking a deep breath, I managed to nod, "Yes," I managed, "It's just not every day that a dead man shows up in your home."

Severus returned my nod solemnly, "Yes, I agree. We didn't leave each other under the best of circumstances."

"There was a lot of blood," I looked back at the tile grout on my counter, "I was sure you were gone."

He made a noise deep in his throat, almost a chuckle, "I nearly was. If it wasn't for a clotting spell and some astoundingly good luck things would have ended much differently for me"

I could feel the tears beginning to sting again, and with some difficulty I managed to work out, "I'm so glad they didn't." and began to tremble. He was so near, so close to me. These feelings and emotions had been foreign so long it felt like being smothered under the most beautiful, heart breaking weight one could imagine.

His hand released my wrist and for a brief moment I felt it brush my hair over my shoulder. I froze at that contact and when I didn't hear him move I'd believed he'd already left. Suddenly his voice was in my ear, his breath warm "As am I."

I spun around quickly but he was already gone, leaving nothing but the faint scent he always carried with him.

My heart pounding, I stumbled to the kitchen chair where he sat and slumped down into it. Heat racing, adrenalin pumping, I looked down into his tea mug. A smile slowly made its way across my face when I realized the word _Tomorrow _was burned into the porcelain at the bottom.

With a new energy I hadn't felt in years I quickly changed into my night clothes and raced down stairs to begin searching. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep that night anyways.

Authors Note cont.: Can anyone guess what the book is?


	4. Chapter 4

Authors note: Thank you to all those who reviewed and tried to guess which book our broody potions professor is looking for. There were some in there I had never even heard of! I have to say though... no one was able to guess it. :) However, I did take some of your suggestions and incorporate them into the story! So thank you to all and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

~C.B.~

I'd spent well into the early hours of the morning searching and had a fair stack of books to show for my efforts: The Secret Garden, Tom's Midnight Garden, The Time Garden, The Perfumed Garden (a rather raunchy read but it was worth a shot…). Taking another cup of coffee I sipped absent mindedly and flipped through a couple of the volumes. Whatever the professor was working on seemed far above my head. He'd given no inkling beyond the fact that a garden was in the premise, and that it had to do with something he was working on. My alarm sounded from the bedroom and I realized it was already six o'clock in the morning, my usual wakeup time. Stifling what I'm sure was a rather unattractive yawn I headed to my closet to find comfortable clothes for the day.

Tome's always opened at precisely 10 o'clock every morning and closed at 6 o'clock every night. Being an early riser, I always enjoyed my leisurely mornings; it usually meant I got to take a bath, read a little, tuck in some breakfast and drink my coffee in peace. This morning however much like last night, proved to be just as different. I had just removed my night shirt and was standing topless when a voice sounded from the kitchen,

"It's not here."

Letting out a shriek and covering myself I spun about and hurled my empty mug at the direction the voice had come from. Severus Snape pulled out his wand and evanescoed it before it struck him right on his nose, "What do you think you're up to?" he snarled, "It's me you dim wit!"

"Stop looking at me!" I hollered, storming to the door and slamming it in his face, "Have you no decency?!"

As I rummaged through my closet in desperation for a bra, I could hear him grumbling to me on the other side of the door, "For Merlin's sake woman, you could have at least gotten up earlier. I had no idea you'd grown to be so sloppy."

Finally pulling a top over my head, I flung the door back open only to find him still scowling at me, "Listen here you ink blot," I growled, "I haven't even slept because I was up all night. I've found every book in my collection by a muggle author that features a garden. You could at least say thank you. And bring back that mug please; it was a gift from Molly Weasley."

A knowing smirk crossed his face, "I would give my thanks, except the book in question isn't there." The mug in question reappeared in his hand and he placed it back in mine, "And they called you the brightest witch of your age."

Confused, I walked quickly to the table, "What do you mean it's not here? These are some older books that have to do with gardens…I thought for sure…what did I miss? Can you remember anything else about it?"

He came to stand beside me and picked up The Secret Garden, flipping through the pages, "Not much, I really haven't read muggle literature since I was a child. I know for sure there was a garden…that is all I can recall for now."

Sighing tiredly, I sat down, "Well, my brain is pretty much mush after last night. Nothing rings a bell for me either. Maybe if you told me what this book had to do with what you're working on we may come up with some other ideas."

Severus looked thoughtful for a moment, and for a brief second I believed he may tell me. However that familiar scowl reappeared and he glared down at me, "Not a chance. It doesn't concern you."

"Oh, but that's not true," I wagged a finger at him; "You have involved me. I am Hermione J. Granger and I don't stop until I find out what it is I need to. You don't have to disclose everything, but at least give me teensy-weensy hint? Is there a girl in it? Can you remember?"

Sniffing loudly, he replied, "No."

"A boy then?"

"No."

Perplexed, I attempted to run a hand through a snarl in my hair, "Hmm, alright then…no children…"

"Miss Granger," he said stiffly, "This is of no use-"

An old memory tingled somewhere in the back of my brain; it was foggy, but steadily becoming clearer, "Professor, were there animals in this book?"

The look that crossed his face then gave it away. As much of an amazing spy that he was, the years of knowing him had given me an insight into a break of that formerly unbreakable poker face. The slight raising of an eyebrow, the clenching of his jaw; I knew then exactly what the book was.

Leaping up from the table, I called, "Wait there!" over my shoulder. I knew it would cross his mind to leave, but he wouldn't. Severus was predictable that way. Nearly falling off the last two steps, I ran to the children's shelf and scanned through the titles until I found the one I was looking for. It was a small book with a white cover and I laughed in delight as I opened it up immediately to a picture of a garden.

I called his name as I raced back upstairs, grinning like a fool as I thrust the volume against his chest, "Is this the one?" I panted, anxiously waiting for him to look at the cover. Raising his eyebrow again he glanced down nodded, "Yes, this is it."

Squealing with joy I jumped and clapped my hands, "I told you I could find it! Peter Rabbit was always one of my favorites as a child! How on earth can this book help you though?"

"Not that it is any of your business," He muttered, stowing the book away in an inner robe pocket, "But quite a bit."

Shaking my head and smiling, I said, "Always with the mysteries. Would it kill you to tell me?"

Severus looked down at me and said very seriously, "No, but it might kill you."

There was a short period of silence that stretched between us and an old familiar tension. This scene jogged another memory, an older one before Dumbledore's death and Severus's alleged betrayal. When I as a student had come across my potions professor wandering the halls one night on a secret trip to the library and had noticed he was heading in that same direction and limping quite badly. Curious, I had followed him in and watched him collapse in a dark heap on the floor in the reference section. I'd raced to him, held his head in my lap and was nearly brought to tears when he'd simply allowed me to. He let me run my fingers through his sweaty hair and tell him that everything would be alright. When I told him I was going to find help, he'd grabbed my hand and whispered hoarsely, "No, don't… I've already…potion…healing…"

Nodding and sniffling I understood him instantly, gently placing his head back in my lap. He'd already taken a healing potion, he would be fine. Even though I knew this I couldn't stop my eyes from watering, "Professor," I'd murmured, "Why? What happened?"

Eye's clenched shut he said, "None…of your…business…"

I almost laughed then, shaking my head in disbelief. He would definitely be alright. Severus had begun to shift from my lap and sit up slowly, "Miss Granger," his voice was stronger now, "Go back to your dormitory." He noticed my hesitation, and glanced at me over his shoulder, "Do not…speak of this."

I reached out and quickly took his hand in mine, giving it a tight squeeze and looking him in the eyes, "I promise I won't."

He kissed me then on the lips. It was brief and salty from the sweat on his upper lip but it was a kiss nonetheless. That moment I knew would change the course of our relationship, whether for good or worse I didn't know at the time. I knew that a professor kissing a student was wrong, but that quick peck on the lips told me _'I trust you…trust me…' _

_"_Thank you." He grunted, heaving himself up and off the floor. Without a second look back, he said, "You promised. Not a word." And then he was out the door and gone, like always. It was only weeks later that Severus was revealed as a traitor and I wept, hating that man and wondering why he'd kissed me. That hate was instantly erased in the moment I sat beside him and believed him to be dead. Another leaving moment, in and gone as quickly as he appeared.

All of this played out in my head in that brief silence, and I knew Severus was thinking that same memory. His dark eyes were focused on me unwaveringly, clouded with an emotion I couldn't identify. That morning in my kitchen I knew our relationship had shifted yet again; from student and professor to war weary veteran and indecisive anti-hero. I sighed in defeat and rubbed my hands against my face to, what? Get rid of the memory? Wipe off that old kiss? Rub it back in? Sensing my inner turmoil, Severus said quietly, "There's a group of animagi in the moors. Surprisingly enough, they're all rabbits. I have reason to believe there is a correlation between this book and those creatures."

I snorted into my hands and brought them down so I could see him, "And what? Is Old Mr. McGregor going to turn them into pies?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, and I realized I had figured out what he was investigating. My stomach flipped nervously, "You mean," I murmured, "There's a witch or wizard turning other witches and wizards into animals so they can eat them?"

"Not just anyone," he said darkly, "Children."


	5. Chapter 5

Authors note: Hello everyone! Thank you for all of your kind reviews, likes, and favorites! On we move into the next chapter. As always, reviews are appreciated!

~C.B.

* * *

I dreamt of him that night.

He was sitting at the desk chair in my bedroom, and in the dream I'd awoken to moonlight and found him watching me with curiosity, "Were you aware that you snore like a hippopotamus with a head cold?" he asked dryly, a smirk tugging at one corner of his lips.

Frowning and groggy I propped myself up on an elbow, "Good morning to you too. What time is it?"

Severus glanced out the window, the sky still an inky black, "It's no time. You're dreaming."

"Ah," I responded. Only in my dream would that statement make sense, "Well, what are you doing here then?"

"Watching you." He said smoothly.

Snorting, I laid my head back down on my pillow, "Obviously. Let me rephrase, _Why_ are you here?"

"Where else would I be?"

I sighed, "You're just as infuriating in my dreams as you are in real life."

He let out a low chuckle, the chair creaking as he shifted to stretch out his long legs. I realized he wasn't wearing his usual black trousers; he was wearing khaki lounge pants and a long sleeve white shirt. His feet were bare, his toes buried in my plush carpet.

"What are you wearing?" I asked. He glanced out the corner of his dark eyes and sighed, as if my question were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do you really believe I wear my wools to bed like some monk?" he asked, and though his voice was clipped it didn't hide the amusement underneath, "I'm almost offended. Go back to sleep. You're delirious."

"Am not," I grumbled, "You're the one who invaded my dreams And you broke through my wards, again. I'm very good at those you know. How long have you been here?"

He crossed his arms and tipped his head back, closing his eyes, "It's inconsequential. And your wards were difficult, but you see this is a dream and I can be wherever I so choose. Sleep now."

I shifted under my comforter, pulling it close around my shoulders, "Will you be here when I wake up?"

Severus was quiet a moment before responding, "No. That wouldn't be wise."

"Why not?" I argued sleepily

His deep voice dripped with sarcasm, "Need I remind you that you hurled a mug at me last time I arrived in the morning?"

"Oh… yes, so sorry about that. You startled me. You could come at night again, or in the afternoon. I could close shop early."

Severus seemed thoughtful for a moment, "It's… getting more difficult to visit. I may never want to leave if I keep coming. And you know very well that I have to."

"The children?" I guessed with a yawn.

"Yes."

"I could help you."

"No."

"Why don't you want to leave?"

"It's complicated."

"So are you."

He chuckled again and it made me smile "That goes without saying," he murmured, "Sleep now."

My eyes were growing steadily heavier and I could feel his hand brushing a curl away from my forehead, "Alright," I said quietly, "Goodnight professor."

"Goodnight Hermione."

My dream went black.

* * *

I awoke to my alarm and sunlight streaming through my window. The chair at the desk was in its rightful place tucked under it. There were no toe marks in my carpet. My wards were still firmly in place and rippling just the way I had left them. The dream was still fresh on my mind as I roused to take my bath and I wondered whether he would come today. After the previous morning's revelation about the animangi children he'd stayed only for a short time before leaving. He did not say when or if he would return. As I sank into the hot water laced with bath oils I felt a chill run up my spine; who would want to eat children? It was such a despicable notion that a flame of anger had been sparked in my belly and it only continued to grow. I wanted to help, I wanted to save them. I understood Severus's reluctance; a third of the golden trio arising from retirement to stalk the moors alongside him would most certainly draw attention. He'd managed to keep himself hidden for so long I was a risk to not only my safety but his.

The words, _"I may never want to leave,"_ reverberated in the back of my mind. It was only a dream, but he'd sounded so conflicted I knew it meant something. The memory of the kiss in the library burned at my lips and I realized I had forgotten about it until yesterday; how I had managed to block it out escaped me…unless he had placed that memory back. Was it even a memory? I couldn't be sure anymore. The water in the bath had gone cold and I lifted myself out to finish getting ready.

It was Sunday and the only day of the week that Tomes was closed. Sunday was my day to go shopping or futz around as I see fit. As an adult, I found it more difficult to stay cooped inside of my flat unless I had a task. Seeing as I had nothing to do, I decided to go to Diagon Alley and shop. Perhaps there were rumors about the animangi children or another volume I could find on the subject…

As I walked from my bathroom to my bedroom I decided to leave Severus a note, just in case he arrived and didn't find me at home. After drying my mop of hair and getting dressed I quickly penned,

_Professor,_

_Left for Diagon Ally. Will return sometime around five. Hope this letter finds you well. If you need assistance just wait until I return. _

_Hermione_

_P.S. I will keep a mug of tea warm for you._

I left out a mug (the one I had thrown at him, I decided to be cheeky) with fresh tea under a warming charm and grabbed my winter robes, warding the locked door behind me and heading down the stairs into my shop and out the front door into the snowy morning.


	6. Chapter 6

Authors note: On we move into chapter 6! Thank you all for your continued readership! As always, reviews and favorites are appreciated!

~C.B.

* * *

After a quick stop at Madam Puddifoot's for a cup tea and cake I apparated to Diagon Alley. As always it was bustling despite the layer of snow covering the ground. Witches and Wizards alike huddled inside of their robes and hats on the street corners discussing the daily news. Some glanced up and caught my gaze, elbowing the person nearest to them to point in my direction. 'I am used to this,' I would tell myself. The truth of the matter is I never was. The looks made me uncomfortable. They made me want to cover my face with my hair and pretend to be a dry shrub. They made me want to stomp my foot like the temperamental eleven year old I once was and tell them to shove it in places unfitting to see the light of day. The war had been over for a decade, why couldn't they move on?

I quickly ducked inside of Flourish and Botts, hanging my head on the way in to avoid the gaze of the manager who watched me with wary eyes behind the counter.

"Miss Granger." He grumbled in acknowledgement.

I murmured a quick hello and tried to continue on towards the reference section when he stepped in front of me blocking my path, "How's the book business?" he asked, and though the question seemed friendly I knew otherwise. I'd heard from several customers that he'd spoken ill of me and was convinced I was trying to take away his business. The fact that I sold muggle books was also a bone of contention among some of the more "devoted" witches and wizards in our world.

"It's just fine." I managed to smile at him, "I'm actually here for personal reasons. I don't have quite the collection that you do. I'm actually doing some research for a friend, do you have any books on animangi or the history behind them?"

Seemingly more at ease now the shop manager scratched his chin which had a liberal sprinkling of five o' clock shadow, "Animangi hmm? Well, that's quite the interesting subject indeed. Who did you say this was for?"

"A friend," I repeated, suddenly becoming aware that there were more eyes on me than just his, "It's for a research project."

His eye's which were a watery grey bored into mine, seeking something, "I see…" his voice was rough and barely just above a whisper, "An interesting subject Miss Granger… back shelf, bottom row."

I thanked him and brushed past his shoulder trying to ignore the feeling of being watched. Ducking behind the last shelf near the wall I released I breath I wasn't even aware I'd been holding. Something was off. Something was not right. Old fears of being hunted were boiling just below the surface and I knew the sooner I left this once familiar safe haven the better. There had seemed to be no one else in the shop, but after all I had been through in my life I knew better than to trust my eyes only. I scanned the bottom shelf and only found one full volume about the history of animangi and another volume that had a only a chapter devoted it's dangers. I grabbed them both and laid them on the counter. The manager glanced from the book covers to somewhere behind me and then back to my eyes, "Did you find everything you need Miss Granger?"

He was trying to warn me I realized later. But only after I heard a voice behind me whisper,

"Stupify."

* * *

I awoke bound and gagged on the shoulder of a very large and very smelly man. He was speaking to another wizard who was not in my sight and happened to be performing a bone breaking enchantment on the store manager who was bound to a chair. It was his screams that had caused me to wake up.

"I tolds ya' Porter, we needs ta leave…we has the Granger girl and we don't needs him anymore,"

The heard the other man who I assumed was Porter spin around, "And I told you that our old friend here has a safe. Little miss war hero is just the cream in the coffee; let's not forget the old man has what we need. She'll just be our little insurance policy."

I rolled my eyes, thankful I was slung away from both of the men's faces. This was just bloody fantastic. Kidnapping. Exactly what I needed on top of everything else going on. Porter went back to the manager who was sniffling pathetically in his chair, "I won't ask you again old man, where is the money? Don't lie to me now…or I'll have to break the other five fingers."

"I-I told you b-b-before…I don't have any-"

The manager screamed as a sharp crack echoed through the basement. My whole body stiffened as I tried in vain to hold still and feign unconsciousness, racking my brain for anything I could do to save the poor soul who was whimpering out of my eyesight. It was then I noticed the shadow moving in the corner, slowly making its way along the back wall. It could have been a trick of the light; the light in the basement was very dim, the faint glow coming from a small lantern which was obscured by the dust being kicked up by Porter who suddenly appeared in my vision.

"Well well…" he smirked, "Look who decided to wake up."

I attempted my best scowl as he chuckled, "Grim, where are your manners? It seems as though goodie-goodie Granger wants down. Won't you assist her?"

Grim shifted his shoulder violently forwards, causing me to fall backwards and hit the hard packed dirt floor spine first. I let out a useless squeak, muffled by the gag as pain shot from my lower back to the base of my skull. Porter came to stand over me, one foot on either side of my body. He was a scrawny man and reminded me of a weasel, his mousey brain hair thinning and arms half the size of each of my thighs. He chuckled and rested his spindly hands on his wait, "Well, I would say that it's a pleasure to finally meet the infamous Hermione Granger except now I have to figure out what to do with you."

My eye's narrowed and I attempted to swing both of my bound legs to knock him off balance. He jumped over them easily, then squatted down to sit on my stomach and effectively squeezing the wind out of me, "Now, now…" he murmured, "None of that." He smacked me so hard across the face for a moment I saw stars. Through the rush in my ears I heard him laughing; "Now I know _exactly _what to do with you. Grim! Get the sack!"

There was no answer. Porter swung his head around, "Grim! I said-"

"_Impedimenta!"_

A flash of green light struck Porter right between the eyes and sent him flying into the back wall, hitting with a thud and sliding to rest on his head in what looked like a rather impossible position. I managed to raise my head enough to see Severus standing over the body of the very still Grim, dressed in his blacks and eyes locked on mine and seeming to shoot fire.

"Stupid woman." He hissed coming to my side, "What in the hell do you think you were doing?" my bounds were quickly cut and he ripped the gag out of my mouth with a little more violence than I felt necessary.

I let out a cough and managed, "I was just coming to find any texts that may help us with-"

"Only _you_ could find trouble in a bookshop," he continued harshly, "I should have known better than to trust you to mind your business." Severus grabbed my bicep and yanked me to my feet.

"Wait! The manager-"

"He's fine," Severus snapped, "I've already untied him and left a healing tonic. Those thugs won't be bothering him anymore. The authorities are coming and we need to leave before they see me." His arm suddenly came around to envelop me in a tight embrace, his other hand winding in my mass of hair and pressing my face into his chest. It was such an intimate moment and completely unexpected that for a moment I froze. This strange encounter seemed so right I felt purely content to just stand there and be held by this man who had just saved my life. He was warm, he was safe, and his smell was intoxicating, his breathing deep and rough against me. Our chests scraped against one another like lovers and somehow I knew this wasn't right. Severus needed me only for my assistance in his case, this was a mistake. But in the back of my head however there came that pulling, a memory trying to bubble to the surface; like this had all happened before…

I managed to look up at him and was surprised to find Severus looking back at me; his eye's giving nothing and yet everything away. "Damn you woman." He growled before the light that accompanies an apparation overtook me and we disappeared from that dirty basement with a pop.


	7. Chapter 7

Authors Note: We have reached chapter 7! Thank you to all of my lovely readers! I must tell you now after this chapter the rating will be bumped up to M. I'm so pleased with this story, it is so different than anything I've written and I'm glad you all are enjoying it. As always reviews are appreciated!

~C.B.

* * *

We apparated into my kitchen and immediately after he released his hold on me, stepping back and glowering, "Your cheek is bruised." He muttered.

I scoffed and rubbed the right side of my face tenderly, "I would imagine so, he had a hard hit for such a twiggy little man."

We passed the next long seconds staring at one another. Severus looked so calm. It was unnerving. When I could take the silence no longer I sighed, looking down at me feet, "I've disappointed you; I not only put myself in danger but you as well. I'm sorry."

"And why did you do such a thing? Especially after I specifically asked you not to?" his words were not angry and that surprised me. More than anything he sounded curious.

I managed an under the lashes glance at him, shame coloring the rest of my face the same color as my developing bruise, "I… I really don't know. It doesn't even matter because I didn't even get the books I discovered."

"You mean these?" from his inner robe pocket Severus withdrew the two volumes I'd discovered at Flourish and Botts. I looked incredulously from the books to his eyes which were slightly crinkled with a half-smile, "Honestly, you would expect me to not notice these sitting on the counter? They're what solidified where you were. You have quite a habit of attracting trouble."

I gestured at him, "I believe you would be what is called 'exhibit a.' Speaking of, when you touched me, what was that? Right before we apparated?"

Severus's eyes grew dark, "What was what?"

Oh ho. He was not going to get away with that excuse, "When you…well…touched me…embraced me."

"That was not an 'embrace.'"

"No?"

"Absolutely not. It was necessary to take a hold of you so we could apparate."

"Professor," I insisted, "I-and this may sound crazy- but I think there is something you aren't telling me. And it's not just about the children. I feel like you are hiding something, and it concerns you and I."

Severus Snape was wearing his usual impassive mask now, "Miss Granger, I have no clue as to what you are referring to. As far as the children are concerned I merely needed your assistance in locating a book about a similar subject. You have already retrieved that book, and took it upon yourself to wheedle your way into my business and poke your nose into someplace it should not have been; and nearly got yourself killed over it. Now that I have what I need I will no longer be requiring your assistance or meddling."

My heart sank deeper into my chest and I began trying to fight the tears threatening to breach. "Oh. My…mistake. I understand."

He nodded and placed the two books on the dining table beside me, careful not to touch or even be to close in my proximity, "I appreciate your help Miss Granger," he said quietly, "You will not see me again."

I didn't look at him, couldn't. The tears I'd been battling had won and were marking their ways down my cheeks. I was losing something that I couldn't even explain in words. I was breaking in all of the worst possible ways imaginable. My feet were falling from under me and I simply wanted nothing more than to cling to him for dear life. Why?

"Miss Granger," he murmured, "Are you going to say goodbye?"

I shook my head and spoke brokenly between sobs, "You are always leaving-if you didn't need me-why did you come today? Why-are you-still here?"

Severus placed a finger below my chin and tilted my face to meet his gaze, "Say goodbye." He insisted.

I shook my head again. He sighed in irritation, "Very well. Some things never change." With that he turned and then apparated away, his scent lingering in the air in his absence.

Some time passed before I managed to pull myself away from my glued spot in the kitchen and collapse on my bed in a despondent heap. I have no idea how long I cried, and it is not something I care to remember. Later in the evening I managed to remove my clothes and crawl naked under the blankets letting exhaustion lull me to sleep.

* * *

In this dream he was sitting in the same chair, only this time he was clothed in a dark colored tee shirt and those khaki pants again. He was watching me with such an intense expression I'm sure he could see right through me.

"You've been crying." He said flatly.

I was angry with him, but couldn't find it in my heart to hurt him either, "Yes." I said.

"You hate me." He stated.

"No."

"Why?" he sounded offended.

I shrugged under the blankets, suddenly remembering I was naked. Severus seemed to notice as well as he tore his gaze away from me to the floor.

"You should hate me," he continued, "I was cruel."

"You spoke the truth. I was wheedling. I did get myself hurt."

Severus shook his head and met my eyes again, "No, I am a liar; you should know this by now. Do you remember what I said last night? About not being able to leave?"

I nodded again, heart pounding so loud I'm sure he could hear it.

"There are…things I have kept from you. Taken from you. For your protection," he looked so ashamed I wanted to reach out and take his hand, but somehow managed to refrain, "I selfishly came here not only because I needed your help, but…because…" Severus rubbed his hand over his face, "I…have you recalled anything recently that you had forgotten? Memories…of me?"

My heart stopped altogether. That was a good enough response for him to continue, "Hermione, you must understand that I left for your own good today. No matter what I cannot come back here, and you must swear to not come looking for me,"

"You say my name so easily in these dreams," I interrupted, "Like you've used it all your life. But I've never heard you call me that when we're awake. Why?"

"Promise me," the intensity in his eyes tore through me, "And I will tell you anything you want to know."

I could feel my temper simmering just below the surface, my cheeks growing warmer with anger, "I will promise you nothing. I have no idea what you are talking about and I refuse to bargain when I have nothing to lose."

"You have me!" Severus hissed, suddenly on his feet and hand striking his own chest, "You will lose me! Does that count for nothing?"

"I've never HAD you!" I spat, sitting up and clutching the blankets around me, "What are you talking about? Have you gone daft? And it sounds as though I would lose you either way whether I promise or not, so I refuse!"

My former professor turned from me and kicked over the chair he'd been sitting in then walked to the window, hands in his long black hair he began to pace, "This is ridiculous! I never should have sought you out; it has been so long though… I was hoping it would have worn off-"

"Hoping _what_ would wear off?" my voice was low, and when he heard me he ceased his trek around my small room.

A long sigh of defeat escaped him and he finally turned to face me, "The memory charm Hermione…the memory charm I placed on you right after we were engaged to be married. It was supposed to erase all of the encounters we had so if I died in battle you wouldn't be taken into an inquiry and forced to speak of our relationship and put away for cohabitating with a traitor. It took affect when I died for the fifteen seconds before the clotting charm saved my life. My mistake was not properly timing its effects; I didn't count on coming back to life. Things were so confusing and it's only fitting that the one thing I ever did right went so very wrong." His head was hung in shame, hands clutched into fists at his side, "I've watched you ever since. I watched that red headed barbarian Weasley court you and watched him break your heart. I was there when you purchased this place and have visited more often than you know…I'm quite skilled with polyjuice potion and appearance changing spells. I can only beg your forgiveness Hermione, and promise you that after tonight you will never have to see me again."

The room became very quiet after he finished speaking. I sat in stunned silence as his dark eyes met mine. Severus and I were engaged to be married? He'd taken all of the memories I'd had of our time together? "Is that," I whispered, "what the memory of the kiss was?"

Severus's face seemed to light up for a small moment, "A kiss?"

"Yes, a kiss in the library…"

In three long strides he was at my bedside and kneeling beside me, "Go on."

"It was late and you were injured, I followed you-"

"Yes," he sounded desperate, "And then?"

My heart was pounding, my mind suddenly flooded with images, "I laid you in my lap, you said 'Do not speak of this,'"

He whispered, "And then?"

Tears began to sting my eyes, "You kissed me Severus."

At the sound of his given name he groaned and closed his eyes, "Our first kiss. You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you speak my name."

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and spoke between tears as all of the puzzle pieces fell into place, "This is not a dream… is it?"

Severus had closed the gap between us, his hands wrapping into the hair at my temples as he opened his dark eyes and they were glowing like coals, "No Hermione. It isn't."


	8. Chapter 8

Authors Note: Hello everybody! From this point on the story will be rated M. I hope you all enjoy the chapter! Favorites and reviews are appreciated!

~C.B

* * *

His lips were on mine before I could speak. They were warm, they were wet and they were needy. A portion of me wanted to shove him away and scream; to wound him, to make him leave, to do anything I could to show him how much he had hurt me even though I'd never realized it. That constant loneliness and yearning these ten years for something I'd never known was his doing and I hated him more in that moment than I had hated anyone. Ever.

Every other part of me craved him and his touch. I kissed him back eagerly, my tongue working its way into his mouth caused him to hiss and suck it back when I tried to remove it. My hands were in his long hair and pulling eagerly to draw him closer, but never close enough. Severus finally caught on, broke our kiss with groan and ripped the coverlet from my naked body, exposing me to a sudden rush of cold air causing me to shiver. In the back of my mind I knew I should be embarrassed but that piece of my memory he'd hidden from me welcomed his roaming gaze, the large hand that tentatively reached out to brush back a curl over my shoulder and then to caress my collar bone. He sighed, "You are even more beautiful than I remember." And his lips returned to mine, more forceful this time as he pushed me back onto the bed. He clambered on top of me, his not quite full weight pressing me into the mattress and I sighed into his mouth.

'_Ah this…'_ I realized, '_Is what it feels like to be whole again.'_

Severus's lips were moving to the shell of my ear and breathily he whispered, "I've dreamt of you, you know…of this," I felt a stirring against my womanhood and he ground his hips against me, "You have no idea how I've missed you." He took my lobe between his lips and suckled. I groaned and began to move my hips in time with his thrusting's. His pants were the only barrier between myself and he, this man that I supposedly was to wed. How many times had we done this before I wondered?

"I wish I could remember," I murmured, "remind me please."

He chuckled against my neck, "Do not worry my darling, my love, I intend to."

Unexpected tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. '_My love.' _When was I last told that? Not by Ron. He was surprisingly unsentimental. He'd once thrown out a jumper I'd given him on Christmas and he did this that same night. Not to hurt me, but simply because it was something he would never wear. I cried. He simply looked confused.

Severus Snape had just expressed his love to me in so many words and I didn't even know my own feelings. That empty portion of me, though slowly filling, was still rather vast. He'd never stopped thinking of me. I had almost forgotten him entirely.

I was suddenly aware Severus was looking down at me, an almost angry look emblazoned across his strong features, "What are you thinking?"

I whispered guiltily, "I don't know if I love you. I can't remember…I'm sorry, I wish I could…"

Instead of being furious and pulling away he simply nodded, "I understand. If you wish to stop, I will oblige. I've pushed myself on you and I apologize. The offer of never seeing me again still stands. All you have to do is say," but then he laid down beside me and gathered me into his arms, "But," he continued softly, his hold tightening, "I've just gotten you back and I would hate to let you slip through my grasp again. I'm far too selfish. If it takes another ten years, or fifteen, or fifty I will redeem myself to you, if you will let me. I promise."

'_I promise,'_ another stirring; a flash of a time ten years before.

Severus is kneeling before me, his hand outstretched and mine in his, a glittering on my left ring finger and heaviness on my heart.

_'You cannot die.' _I say, _'Please, do not make me promise this.'_

_'You must,' _he insists, and the tone in his voice tells me I don't have much choice in the matter, _'The future is not decided. If I live, the vow will not hold. Everything will go back to the way it is now, I promise. You know that this is what is best.'_

I am reluctant, but know that he speaks the truth. If found out and things go badly I can be put away for treason. Or put to death. I ask myself then, what is worse? The breaking of an unbreakable vow, or the breaking of my heart?

Severus wiped my cheek with the back of his hand and I realized with a start that I'd been crying. "Why the tears?" he asked quietly.

I sniffed loudly and continued to wipe my face, "It's strange, every now and again I'll get, I don't know, a flashback."

"Of?" his voice was deeper all of a sudden.

"You, me…this one was of the vow. I was wearing a ring. You were making promises."

He grunted, "Ah, yes. One of many I've had to break." He pulled me even closer against him, resting his face against my hair and sighed, "Hermione, if I know what I do now I would have never made that vow. I would have taken you and run like you wanted. I know you don't remember much, but give me, you and us a chance. I know I've broken so many promises, but know that this one I can keep."

Confused, I pulled away to raise a skeptical eyebrow at him, "Give us a chance? Just half an hour ago you were never wanting to see me again."

He ran his fingers through my snarled hair and the voice that came from him was shockingly fragile, "That would be best yes, but I am tired of denying myself what I want. And what I want Hermione, is you."

Too moved to speak, I kissed him. It felt good, it felt right. I allowed him to move his hands from my back to my breasts. His lips soon followed and before long I was moaning and grinding against him, my own fingers pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor. His sleep trousers soon followed and then he was between my trembling thighs, forehead resting against mine and our gazes locked with a frightening intensity.

Slowly, gently, he pushed against me and we both moaned as he slid inside. His fingers interlaced with mine, and then he began to move.

In that little bookstore, in a little loft and after ten long years, Severus Snape had finally come home.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's note: Whoo hoo chapter nine! Thank you all for your reviews and favorites! Thank you for your continued readership, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

~C.B.

* * *

The muddy winter sunlight filtered through the old window and struck me square on the eyelids. With a groan I opened my eyes and was stopped cold when I realized the bedside beside me was empty. Despair welled up in my chest until I heard the gentle whoosh of the shower on the other side of the wall. After releasing a heavy, relieved sigh I carefully sat up in bed wincing at the slight aching between my thighs. How long had it been? At least four years since Ron? Self-imposed celibacy was never my choice, but no one had ever measured up to the transparent ideals in my head. Now I knew why.

The shower stopped and after several moments Severus stepped nude into the bedroom doorway, hair dripping over his shoulders and down his back like an inky waterfall. I must have had quite the expression on my face because he smirked and said, "I couldn't find the washcloths."

"Oh, um…" Where had I kept those damn things? Anything else besides Severus was cloudy. His nakedness was quite distracting. He was tall and lean, his skin an off-alabaster flushed from the heat of the shower. While his chest was relatively hairless, the line leading from his abdominals to his manhood was as jet black as the hair on his head. His shaft was of above average length and the girth was what was impressive; the sex had been incredible last night and he had filled me in every sense of the word. Not overly muscular, he had the physique of a track athlete; thin and unexpectedly strong. Over his torso, arms and legs scars of varying lengths, shapes and discolorations tracked across him like road signs. The one on his neck was most pronounced. Though the redness had faded to a milky pink over the years it was easily visible through the wet curtain of hair. It was jagged. It looked festering and angry despite the fact it was healed long ago. He was the most beautiful train wreck I had ever seen.

Once he realized I was looking at his scars he scowled and turned to head back towards the washroom, "Never mind. I will find them myself. I forget you had forgotten...me. "

"Wait, Severus-" I scrambled out of bed and managed to catch him around the waist before he made it out of the doorway, "I'm sorry for staring. Your beautiful," I blurted.

He glanced over his shoulder at me, wariness clouding his features, "Beauty is a relative term, but it is in the eye of the beholder I suppose."

Guilt racked me. The obvious love he had for me was palpable. All he wanted was to reverse the clock and fix us. I knew that the animangi children was the perfect opportunity he could find to make his way back into my life and attempt to rebuild the relationship we once had, even if I never remembered anything. I was hurting him, but he also knew this hurt was caused by himself. His life was a constantly rebuilding tower of self-imposed purgatory. Severus Snape could not forgive himself for the transgressions of his youth, even if everyone else had.

I pulled him against me though he resisted slightly and rested my head against his chest, "Tell me a story."

His voice rumbled in my ear, "About what?"

"You, me. What we were like."

He chuckled and attempted to smooth down my mass of hair, "There were some bad times, but they were overshadowed by the copious amount of wonderful times. You slapped me once."

I laughed and looked up at him, "Did I? What had you done to deserve it?"

Severus smirked down at me and raised an eyebrow, "There was some wine involved. I had said something unbecoming about your house elf freedom party. Something along the lines of, 'If you force them to quit their positions they will find something else to do; like prostitution.' You did not appreciate that."

"Well I don't appreciate it now as a matter of fact," I gave his bum a light smack, "Tell me something else."

"Come to bed and I will tell you." Severus pulled away and took my hand already guiding me in that direction. We both climbed underneath the covers and he gathered me against him. I sighed contentedly and pressed my nose into his neck; Severus fresh out of the bath was truly a wonderful thing.

"We were engaged soon after our first kiss," he finally continued, "though the attraction had been happening for some time. I knew that if I didn't ask for your hand I would regret it for the rest of my life. That kiss in the library you recalled was only about a month before Dumbledore's death, and I asked you several nights before that happened. You knew everything about the plan and Albus knew about us. Things were very complicated during that time."

"Obviously," I muttered dryly.

Severus glanced out of the corner of his eye at me, "We were intimate the night after our first kiss. It was your first time with a man, and you wouldn't shut up because you were so nervous."

This was a surprise. I had always thought my first time was with Ronald. There was some confusion on my part when our first encounter hadn't hurt, but I had never thought…

"You had come to my chambers because you wanted to discuss the 'incident in the library' as you called it," Severus sounded very far away now and was staring at the ceiling, "You seemed upset. You went on about the inappropriateness of student and teacher relations and no matter how you felt or I felt it would never mean anything."

"What did you say?" I asked.

Severus turned his face towards me and the look on his face was undeniably smug, "I kissed you again. You stopped complaining. You slept in my room nearly every night after."

I threw my arm over him and gave a smug smile all my own, "Well, it must have been good if I decided to risk sneaking out from the common room; No doubt neglecting my studies as well."

He made a grunt noise, "Do not remind me of all the nights when I attempted to seduce you only to wait while you finished an essay. It was torturous."

"Oh poor you," I chided, propping my face on his chest, "tell me more." I could feel his long fingers begin wandering to my rib cage where they began to draw small circles.

"Greedy woman. You enjoyed my cooking, especially when I made pasta."

"I do like pasta."

"I know. I've never eaten so much in my life. You used a ridiculous amount of blankets."

"I'm sure the dungeons were chilly at night."

"You enjoyed sitting in the astronomy tower on warmer evenings. We would often meet there after dinner."

"It did have a nice view."

His hand had wandered to my breast where it caressed my nipple and caused it to raise. He shifted his body over so he was facing me, "You were afraid of the dark and would make me leave a candle or the fireplace lit. You talked in your sleep frequently, mainly about Potter. He was a constant source of worry. You are such a mother hen. I knew Weasley loved you as did everyone else in the bloody world, but you had no idea. More than once you used the term, 'Ruddy bastard' when referring to him. Your favorite chore was laundry and I loved the way you folded my shirts. You could have used magic but always did it by hand. I still use the same laundry soap you did. It reminded me that you were still out in the world somewhere safe even when I was on the other side of the globe, and it gave me the briefest amount of hope that I may see you again." He had moved down my body and had been speaking down my skin in between lingering kisses, "You loved it when I would blow in your ear and run my fingers across your scalp. Your favorite sexual position was you on top which really isn't all that surprising." My breath was coming in sharper gasps and his fingers preceded his tongue moving into my womanhood, "You used to scream for me… you liked to experiment… and you are not leaving me again."

* * *

The shop seemed so empty without him. Severus had left without much explanation, only that he would be back later in the evening and not to wait up late for him. He would be home soon. Despite his promises I knew it was more than likely a lie. He was a secretive man by nature and though we'd only rekindled our relationship those old sparks of intuition remained. While he would do his best to make sure he came home in one piece, there was always the percentage it would be in a body bag. And if there was even the faintest glimmer whatever he was hunting would follow him back, he would run until it tired. Or he would take care of it himself.

The small brass bells above the door jangled and snapped me out of my revelry. Astrid stepped through tracking in a full three inches of snow behind her. Her brown eyes met mine and I could tell she'd been crying. This startled me; Astrid was normally not one of the most empathetic children I had ever met.

I stepped out from behind the counter, my concern growing, "Astrid, what happened? Are you hurt?"

Her face scrunched and with a wail she rushed me and threw her arms around my waist, burying her face into my abdomen. After a few loud sobs she blurted, "M-my brother, he was stolen last night. He came through the window and took him a-a-a-way!" her voice dissolved into a wail that froze me to my core. She had said he. Was this the same person turning the children into rabbits? Had Astrid had seen the wizard responsible for the disappearances?

I kneeled in front of her, taking her wet face into my hands and looked deeply into her eyes, "Astrid this is very important. This man, do you know him? What does he look like?"

Her freckled face was flushed nearly as red as her hair, "He came through the wi-window. My brother and I share a room. I heard singing and my brother g-got out of bed and went to him. They flew away."

"Do you know him Astrid?" I repeated, "Please, this is important."

She gave her head a small shake, "N-no. He was tall. Like a skeleton. He had white hair and black eyes."

I sighed and pulled her into my arms, "Oh Astrid. I'm so sorry. I'm sure your mummy and daddy and the ministry will do anything they can to find him."

Her voice, though muffled and laced with tears sounded hopeful, "And you Hermione? You will help me won't you? You are my hero after all. I came to you because you're a hero, even though no one else thinks so. They say you're just a librarian now, but I know better. You can help me can't you?"

My eyes closed, trying in vain to hold back my own tears now and I gave her a gentle squeeze, "I will try."


End file.
